Sort It Out Now - Sort It Out Nowhttp://sortitoutnow.com
Senior Move Management - Home and Office OrganizingSat, 14 Mar 2015 15:23:46 +0000en-UShourly1The Organized Crisper Drawer – Sort It Out Now of Bostonhttp://sortitoutnow.com/blog/the-organized-crisper-drawer-sort-it-out-now-of-boston/
http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/the-organized-crisper-drawer-sort-it-out-now-of-boston/#commentsSat, 14 Mar 2015 15:23:46 +0000http://sortitoutnow.com/?p=671Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

I won’t mince words – I’ll bet the vegetable drawer in your fridge is packed tight. I don’t mean you need to clean it out – or that you need to stop buying vegetables – but could it be better organized so that you’re not rifling through produce while doing … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

I won’t mince words – I’ll bet the vegetable drawer in your fridge is packed tight. I don’t mean you need to clean it out – or that you need to stop buying vegetables – but could it be better organized so that you’re not rifling through produce while doing dinner prep? And everybody’s hungry? And waiting? And you still can’t find that carrot bag?

All you need is a simple system – as a professional organizer I’m big on systems – and some pain-free maintenance techniques.

Use a designated drawer. It takes some maneuvering to figure out which veggies need humidity and which ones do not, but once you know what should go where, it’ll become second nature. Many fridges today offer two crisper drawer options: one for high humidity, one for low. What goes where? Greens and lettuces require higher humidity to keep their crunch fresh. But fruits should be kept in lower humidity, except for those apples. Store fresh apples in the back of the refrigerator, since they emit ethylene gas and will be quicken rot of some produce.

Pack your crisper drawer like you would a grocery bag. Heavy on the bottom (beets), fragile on the top (cilantro). That carrot bag? It should always be on the bottom. Not only will it steer clear of your fragile red-leaf lettuce but better yet, you’ll know exactly where it is.

That long thin drawer—it’s a great solution. Does your fridge have that long drawer that’s great to place food trays? Awesome. That’s where you should keep all your food that you’ll be cooking that night. If something has to remain frozen, leave it in the freezer portion, but it’s a great stress-reliever to open your fridge and know exactly what to use and where it is.

Do you have any questions about organizing in your kitchen or home? Email them to me here: pat@sortitoutnow.com

Xo,

Pat

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/the-organized-crisper-drawer-sort-it-out-now-of-boston/feed/05 Closet Secrets from a Professional Organizerhttp://sortitoutnow.com/blog/5-closet-secrets-professional-organizer/
http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/5-closet-secrets-professional-organizer/#commentsWed, 25 Feb 2015 18:30:50 +0000http://sortitoutnow.com/?p=660Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

By Pat Bernabei Remember, I’m an organizer, so a disorganized closet doesn’t stress me out. In fact, when I work with clients on their closets, one of the first tips I offer is about organizing systems. I also help them decide what they should keep and what should go. But … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

In fact, when I work with clients on their closets, one of the first tips I offer is about organizing systems. I also help them decide what they should keep and what should go. But best of all, I offer organizer secrets to help them maintain the beautiful masterpiece we have created by the end of our time together.

Here are a few secrets for you, especially since spring cleaning is – tentatively – on the way:

If you’re going it alone, don’t expect to do the entire closet in one afternoon. Break up your closet into small projects. Do pants one day, shoes the next. If this takes too long, who you gonna call? That’s right – Sort It Out Now of Boston! I’m as cheery as I am organized. But better than that, you’ll have help. Just don’t pull everything out and plop it on your bed, expecting to have it all done in two hours.

Do your stacked sweaters topple out of your closet? Stacks often fall over and I’d recommend a clothing organizer instead, to keep you sane. The support of a simple, clear plastic organizer will keep everything in its place.

Not six feet tall? Keep a low step-stool in your closet to reach your top shelf. That way, you won’t tip the stack forward to get the tippety-top sweater. Just something simple at Target.

Use your wall space. Purses are the perfect candidates for either hooks on your wall or, if the straps are multi-sized, a belt rack.

Don’t use color coding. It’s too much organizing—don’t quote me! Instead, group like items together so you know where to look.

If you find there’s no time for organizing your closet but it has reached a critical need – call me! (617-332-7500) I work in the Boston area and I’ve visited many closets in every town out there. Send an email if that’s easier: pat@sortitoutnow.com

I look forward to working with you!

Xoxo,

Pat

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/5-closet-secrets-professional-organizer/feed/0Why You Should Be Professionally Organizedhttp://sortitoutnow.com/blog/why-you-should-be-professionally-organized/
http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/why-you-should-be-professionally-organized/#commentsMon, 23 Feb 2015 15:22:12 +0000http://sortitoutnow.com/?p=654Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Right about now, everyone who has made that big promise to themselves of finally getting organized, is realizing they’re still not organized. #NewYearsResolutions But it’s okay. It’s very understandable, and this is coming from a professional organizer who works with people who are so stressed out with their situations that … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Right about now, everyone who has made that big promise to themselves of finally getting organized, is realizing they’re still not organized. #NewYearsResolutions

But it’s okay. It’s very understandable, and this is coming from a professional organizer who works with people who are so stressed out with their situations that being organized gives them a new lease on life.

Here are some big reasons why regular people and regular businesses need to take a step back and admit they could use a hand:

Who has the time to tackle a big project? Not many. We’re running businesses, raising families and living our lives. Time to change your oil? Go grocery shopping? Make cupcakes for school? The details of life are more than enough for one person. Then if you add on a huge project such as organizing a business bill system? Getting ducks in order before a move? A kitchen pantry or laundry room or basement or garage gone awry? Never mind a simple task like organizing a mud room. It’s too much, and it needs a professional’s love.

Where did we put those spring decorations? Winter is still very much a part of Boston now, but the calendar tells us spring is right around the corner. If your seasonal decorations are “shoved somewhere” instead of organized, let us help. It’s super easy for a pro to come and work through what you have. At Sort It Out Now, I pride myself on being super easy to work with (read my testimonials!) and pleasant, to boot! All that, plus my organizing skills – we can work together or I can work alone with notes.

Are you utilizing a pricey self-storage unit for your business? If you need to go through folders in a self-storage unit to figure out taxes, it’s time to call the professional organizer. Your time will be well spent – you’ll need to be on hand for us to weed out what should stay and what should go, then after that, I can do the rest. Being organized by a professional is a stress-relieving necessity. Imagine having client records easily found?

Are you utilizing a pricey self-storage unit for your home’s overflow? An organizer can help you weed through what’s there and decide what should be thrown away. Imagine not paying that self-storage bill every month?

If you have been meaning to get organized, call or send me an email and let me know what you need help with. I’m Pat Bernabei, and I love my job!

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/why-you-should-be-professionally-organized/feed/0Organizing Hats: Solutions from Sort It Out Nowhttp://sortitoutnow.com/blog/organizing-hats-solutions-sort-now/
http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/organizing-hats-solutions-sort-now/#commentsSat, 07 Feb 2015 14:15:40 +0000http://sortitoutnow.com/?p=642Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

By Pat Bernabei All those fedoras of the 1950s are a style of the past but hats are still very much a popular accessory for men, women and children, and it’s not shocking to hear that one person might have upwards of 10 hats or more. This poses an organizing … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

By Pat Bernabei

All those fedoras of the 1950s are a style of the past but hats are still very much a popular accessory for men, women and children, and it’s not shocking to hear that one person might have upwards of 10 hats or more. This poses an organizing opportunity: Where to store them?

Target is a wonderful source of baskets for storage – but one home can only accept oh so many storage baskets and especially clunky-looking plastic bins. So we decided to compile some different organizing ideas for storing hats, whether they are baseball hats, winter hats, sun hats, stylish hats, any hat that needs a “proper place” in your home.

Take a look:

I love that artsy aspect of hats. It makes an organizer’s life much easier—I suggest using them on the wall, better yet, on the wall near the door. Hooks are the best solution because they’re sturdy and will hold up over time. Just plan out your hooks according to the size of the hats so that they hang in a pretty line.

Every mom has seen her athletic son or daughter’s pile of hats grow—one for each sport, one for each season. Over time, the athlete has accrued quite the collection! Back to Target—buy a shoe rack or hanger, a simple one is best. It’s a organizer’s best friend because it holds a lot and can be hung easily on the back of a door.

Stylish women in the days of Jane Austen might have used hat boxes but today we utilize a lovely new system: repurposing. Here, a corner wall presents a pretty canvas on which to hang sun hats.

Ah, more baseball hats! Instead of molding or shelving, installing hooks along the top of a wall gives an athlete pride in his collection, instead of collecting them behind his bed.

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/organizing-hats-solutions-sort-now/feed/0The Art of Great Staginghttp://sortitoutnow.com/blog/art-great-staging/
http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/art-great-staging/#commentsTue, 27 Jan 2015 00:20:34 +0000http://sortitoutnow.com/?p=638Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

After a home is decluttered—which is one of the jobs of a Move Manager—the stager is ready to start. Staging is a true art and an important facet of selling a home. Have you ever compared photos of the same room, with one staged and the other “lived in”? Which … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

After a home is decluttered—which is one of the jobs of a Move Manager—the stager is ready to start.

Staging is a true art and an important facet of selling a home. Have you ever compared photos of the same room, with one staged and the other “lived in”? Which room are you drawn to?

A stager is creating a fantasy—a fantasy home experience that aims to attract a buyer.

How to stage in a way that wows a buyer? Here are a few artsy tips:

The pantry—didn’t think I’d start here, did you? It needs to be cleaned-cleaned-cleaned and everything needs to be organized as if it were being “presented.” Don’t stuff any pasta boxes in the back. Line up items in pretty groups as if they were being photographed in Super Kitchen Magazine. Same goes for the refrigerator, both in and out. (The art of staging a home doesn’t include children’s artwork—save Junior’s for your next home.)

Think/decorate in terms of “threes.” When arranging, choose three items of three different heights and place them in a triangle. For instance, a table lamp, a plant, a stack of marble coasters.

All personal bathroom items—toothbrushes, used soaps—needs to be removed. Stage with new, fluffy white towels and soaps wrapped in paper, flowers (always flowers, everywhere!) and a brand-new shower curtain, with another fluffy white towel hanging over the side of the tub with a brand new loofah on top. All bathrooms should exude cleanliness and freshness.

“Suggestive selling” is a great tool. As in the bathrooms, create “home-scapes” that invite a buyer in—place a family board game on the breakfast bar near a triangle of cocoa mugs; set out glassware and tableware and placemats on the little table on the side porch, crowned with a vase of fresh flowers. Think magazine photo shoot and you’re thinking in the right direction. Show them the possibilities.

The master bedroom—go the distance and set up champagne with glasses and invest in a new bed set. The “new” quality of a bed set, rather than the older quality of a lived-in one, will not be missed on a buyer who is looking to fit himself in to your home.

Lastly, got your home office brewing in the dining room? Each room should be used for its intended purpose, when a home is being shown.

Good luck! If you have any questions about working with a Move Manager and Organizer, give me a call at (617) 332-7500 or email me here: pat@sortitoutnow.com.

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/art-great-staging/feed/0Keep Calm and Get Organizedhttp://sortitoutnow.com/blog/keep-calm-get-organized/
http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/keep-calm-get-organized/#commentsThu, 22 Jan 2015 17:33:02 +0000http://sortitoutnow.com/?p=632Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Nothing scares a professional organizer – not messy closets, piles of paper, clothes piled on the floor/exercise equipment/shower rod, generic disorganization, none of it! In fact, what some call a “total mess” inspires an organizer. An organizer instantly starts thinking “solution” and “implementation.” One of my favorite words: “organized.” I … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Nothing scares a professional organizer – not messy closets, piles of paper, clothes piled on the floor/exercise equipment/shower rod, generic disorganization, none of it! In fact, what some call a “total mess” inspires an organizer. An organizer instantly starts thinking “solution” and “implementation.”

One of my favorite words: “organized.” I adore creating order out of chaos – it’s my job. I help people whose offices have gotten so messy that they don’t know where to begin. I help those who are moving and need to figure out what to bring and what to get rid of. Organizing motivates me and I enjoy seeing the satisfaction and relief on a client’s face when they see I’ve offered them something they hadn’t been able to give themselves: order.

Order is a beautiful thing and it takes work, but once a professional plan is in place, it’s much easier to keep organization a priority. Here are some reasons why a client would need a professional organizer:

They’re combining households and a lot of “stuff”—what to keep?

A new baby is on the way

A home needs to be sold and decluttered

Creating a new business or expanding a current one

Getting out of the house in the morning is a total bear

You need help in making the most out of the space you have

Many times I’m invited into people’s homes during a large life event like the ones listed above, or maybe they needed to hire me because they just don’t have the time to do it themselves. Either way, my job is to make their lives easier and better! A professional organizer should be motivated and fun to work with, solution-focused and kind. A reputable professional organizer should be insured and bonded and offer excellent references and credentials.

As the owner of Sort It Out Now of Greater Boston, I offer all of the above and am proud of my track record. I take deep satisfaction in making a client happy and pleased with their home or office. Does your home or office need some organizing? Ask me any question here: pat@sortitoutnow.com. I’m here to help!

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/keep-calm-get-organized/feed/0How to do a Quick Declutter for Holiday Guestshttp://sortitoutnow.com/blog/how-to-do-a-quick-declutter-for-holiday-guests/
http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/how-to-do-a-quick-declutter-for-holiday-guests/#commentsFri, 19 Dec 2014 15:39:20 +0000http://sortitoutnow.com/?p=625Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Sort it Out Now doesn’t mean all your many decorations – that’s not clutter. That’s living. Clutter is the stuff around the decorations that you keep meaning to either put away or throw out. That’s also living, but not when you’ve got a countdown for guests. If you’re hosting a … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Sort it Out Now doesn’t mean all your many decorations – that’s not clutter. That’s living. Clutter is the stuff around the decorations that you keep meaning to either put away or throw out. That’s also living, but not when you’ve got a countdown for guests.

If you’re hosting a holiday this year, here’s some de-clutter advice from an organizing professional:

Do the kitchen last. Yup, very last. Leave the dishes. Why? You’ll run out of steam after the kitchen gets done and never get to the “other stuff.”

The other stuff. The room where people will be hanging out (when not in the kitchen) – go there first. Take a large garbage bag or recycling bin with you, or both. Toss all old magazines, even the ones that “look pretty” on your coffee table. In fact, your coffee table should be fairly clear of anything “family” so that you can have it ready to put out your apps and coasters. Go under furniture and clear out dog toys, old socks. (How do I know this?) Anything that isn’t fit for the Queen isn’t fit for the holidays, so if it’s garbage-esque, toss into an appropriate bin or bag.

Stuff you’ll keep. This is where you delegate. Put into “room” piles and ask for help. Suzie does this pile, Johnny does that one. Tell your helpers to put these things in “appropriate places” like closets or shelves and not under their beds or on top of dressers.

Head to the other messy room(s). Rinse and repeat.

Back to the kitchen. Still have energy? If not, make tea/coffee then attack the sink first and get that dishwasher running. Do counters and get behind the crumby toaster. Give the stovetop a proper scrubbing, too, and if you have room in a pantry, remove heavier items from kitchen counters that you won’t need on the big day so that there’s room for platters and bowls and wine glasses and pies from the guests.

The refrigerator. Hosts most likely have leftovers. Make room for them by tossing out what needs to be tossed out. If you use glass Mason jars for leftovers, make sure you have enough to fill. If you use plastic containers, put that on your shopping list if you don’t have enough or if they don’t have lids. No lids? Recycle.

Speaking of recycling. All those cardboard boxes from online shopping? You probably have them in a corner of your garage or office. Have a helper flatten them to maximize space or better yet, fill them with clothing donations to favorite charities.

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

It’s a joke in the family, right? Every family has their good stories and bad about “Dad trying to untangle the tree lights” and Mom giving up and buying new ones, or the dog gnawing on one end while the other is being de-knotted. Hold on – we don’t want … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

It’s a joke in the family, right? Every family has their good stories and bad about “Dad trying to untangle the tree lights” and Mom giving up and buying new ones, or the dog gnawing on one end while the other is being de-knotted.

Hold on – we don’t want to take away those beautiful memories, but Sort It Out Now has a handy idea, a very handy idea passed down from a clever grandfather who is also known for his organized tool bench and his handmade pie toter.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves – let’s focus on not sighing a long sigh when we open the ornament bin, but rejoicing in the organizing you did, this year, for next.

Here it is:

Wrapping strands of lights on empty paper towel rolls

The method: As you gradually take the strand of lights off the tree, poke the first say, 6 inches of lights into the tube, then start wrapping the lights tightly around the tube. The key is to wrap the strand so that it goes on the roll evenly. When you reach the other end of the tube, roll on back until the strand is almost complete. The last piece of strand should be tucked in to the opposite end.

And there you have it! If you use several strands of lights for your tree, you’ll have several of these handy tubes to unroll, with ease, next year.

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

Everybody already has their way of “doing the holidays,” but don’t fall prey to holiday stress. This year, try a different approach: Organize even the smallest tasks: Pay close attention to your calendar this month. It’s the best advice an organizer can give. That’s right, think of yourself as an … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Everybody already has their way of “doing the holidays,” but don’t fall prey to holiday stress. This year, try a different approach: Organize even the smallest tasks:

Pay close attention to your calendar this month. It’s the best advice an organizer can give. That’s right, think of yourself as an Organizer, especially if you want to get everything done on time with a smile (because baking should be down-time) and without an anxiety attack.

Schedule all the tasks you usually do on the fly. Like wrapping, filling out and sending the cards, running to the store for last minute gifts, buying wine, baking/cooking, getting the menorah down from the attic, putting up the tree. This is a list off the top of my head so you can imagine what else needs to be on there. But you’re getting it: Schedule thyself so that you’re “busy” as opposed to “running around harried” and not enjoying a special time of year.

Delegate. If you live with others, enlist them. Can they drive? Can they clean? Can they lug the ornaments down the stairs? They’ve got to help you — the holidays don’t show up on the back of one person.

Prioritize. If you’re popular and receive two invitations for the same night, can you realistically do both? Are the parties are close by, then sure, spend an hour here, an hour there, but don’t feel badly about not accepting an invite. Just be sure to RSVP early.

Let yourself off the hook. Okay, say you’re burdened this month with extra deadlines and you just don’t want to send out the cards this year? Will it be terrible to skip a year and lighten the load? Of course not. Even if you’ve already bought the stamps. But knowing you, you bought the Forever stamps, and now you’re already getting organized for next year!

Start early. As in this year — take the New England cue and get out your decorations sooner rather than later. Why? Your home will look festive and you’ll have one major item checked off your list. But more important, you’ll enjoy the time of decorating since you’re not rushing. And isn’t that what the holidays are for? Enjoying special time with our loved ones?

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/6-ways-avoid-holiday-stress/feed/0Moving with Teens, Part IIhttp://sortitoutnow.com/blog/moving-with-teens/
http://sortitoutnow.com/blog/moving-with-teens/#commentsWed, 26 Nov 2014 12:58:42 +0000http://sortitoutnow.com/?p=609Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Teens in particular will have a tougher time saying goodbye. It’s understandable, since they’ve built a network for themselves that they now have to leave. Sure, they can stay in touch online, but as they realize, it won’t be the same. One of the best ways to help your teen … Continue reading →

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%

]]>Life seems to gather itself on people’s nightstands. Here's how to keep yours organized. By &Sort It Out Now% of Greater Boston.

Teens in particular will have a tougher time saying goodbye. It’s understandable, since they’ve built a network for themselves that they now have to leave. Sure, they can stay in touch online, but as they realize, it won’t be the same.

One of the best ways to help your teen adjust to the prospect of moving, especially if they’ll no longer be in short driving distance, is to help them say goodbye.

It’s important that your teen has a chance to say goodbye to the special people in her life. Ask her how she would like to do this. Throw a party? Plan a smaller get-together around pizza and a movie at home? Time to hang-out at the mall again? Whatever your teen decides, keep in mind that the closer you get to the moving date, time might be crunched, so a send-off would be better earlier rather than later.

It’s also important to say goodbye to the special places in her life. How about the peach orchard you’ve been taking the kids to each summer? The turtle creek? A favorite diner? Teens (and you) will get nostalgic and that’s good. Talking about your fond memories will help ease the transition.

Depending on the age of your teen, she may or may not be on social media. Is she on email? She probably already has an email account. Help her with a method of keeping in touch.

Pictures! Suggest to your teen that she take lots of pictures and organize some special ones into a picture book like the ones by Shutterfly or in a cut-and-paste book that she tapes in herself. Doing the project will be a way for her to transition as she thinks about her second grade Halloween party with her friends, or her first sleepover, or the time when Julie and Samantha came with the family to the beach and they floated for hours on the red raft before it lost all its air. All of it is a way for her to both hold onto, and say goodbye to, wonderful friends.

Moving is a major change and it’ll always offer some difficult moments. Be watchful for some little warning signs like withdrawn behavior, loss of appetite or problems sleeping. Keeping the lines of communication open between you and your teen will be the best way to help. Having a simple cup of tea or asking her to join you at the grocery store offers a pathway for feelings to be shared.

Sort it Out Now is a professional move management and organizing company in Greater Boston. See us at %www.sortitoutnow.com%